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CLC works on safety, inclusion

Emily Schrank | Thursday, December 8, 2011

Although the Campus Life Council (CLC) did not begin meeting until October, student body president Pat McCormick said he hopes this year’s group can make meaningful recommendations on how to improve the University.

“CLC is a group that actually meets at the request of the Board of Trustees and in some ways, it is slightly distinct from the work we do as an administration,” McCormick said. “It’s an opportunity for a forum, where students can come together with rectors and faculty members to discus ways to tangibly improve campus life.”

CLC did not begin meeting until October because the group did not receive rector recommendations from Vice President for Student Affairs Fr. Tom Doyle until that time.

Once the student and rector representatives were able to convene, McCormick said the group identified three main areas that they would like to work on — student safety, expanding inclusion and student activities.

CLC members have divided into three subcommittees based on these priorities. The subcommittees meet bi-weekly.

The subcommittee on student safety hopes to bring together experts to discuss how to improve campus safety, McCormick said.

“The major thing we’re recommending right now is more lighting on campus,” McCormick said. “Especially in places like Mod Quad, where there maybe isn’t as much [lighting] as there could be.”

McCormick said the goal of the subcommittee on expanding inclusion is to enable all students “to serve as partners in the project at Notre Dame.”

“Students have a unique role in charting the course for Notre Dame,” he said. “They are ready and willing to serve as partners, but that requires mutual respect from both staff and other students.”

The expanding inclusion subcommittee has identified specific areas its members would like to address, McCormick said.

“One area they’re looking at is underrepresented students and their faith traditions,” he said. “Another is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) students and how we can further include them in the life of the University.”

McCormick said the student activities subcommittee would make recommendations on both the process and the quality of student activities at Notre Dame, including improvements to SAO online and pep rallies, as well as the modernization of the football stadium.

McCormick said the hope for the year is to produce a report to the Board of Trustees and the vice president for Student Affairs detailing CLC’s recommendations on improving these areas of life at Notre Dame.